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(No Model.)

T. J. WINANS.- DISGHARGING VALVE 'ADAPTED TO AIR GUNS. N0. 495,76'7Q I Patented Apr. 18, 1893.

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UNITED 'ST TES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. VVINANS, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

DlSCHARGlNG-VALVE ADAPTED TO AIR-GUNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,767, dated April 18, 1893.

Application filed October 24, 1889- SerialNo. 328,003- (No model.)

To a whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. WINANS, of Binghamton, county of Broome, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Discharging-Valves Especially Adapted for Air-Guns, of which the following is a true and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates especially to the discharging valve of guns using compressed air as a motive power, and my object is to provide a valve which Will be moved by the force of the compressed air and which, in my pre-' ferred construction, will admit the compressed air to the gun barrel in gradually increasing quantity so that the projectile will not be subjected to the full amount of pressure until after it has moved some distance in the gun barrel, the pressure increasing in regulated quantity as the projectile moves forward. This mode of admitting the air behind the projectile is of advantage with all sorts of air guns,but more especially where the projectile is a shell charged with a high explosive as by avoiding shock, the danger of explosion in the gun is greatly diminished.

My discharging valve while as already stated is especially adapted to air guns may be advantageously used in any mechanism where it is important that a fluid should open the valve by its own pressure or where a regufollows: The valve being in the position shown in Fig. 1, and the portion of chamber lated gradual opening of the discharge valve is desired.

My invention will be best understood after a description of the drawings in which it is illustrated as applied to an air gun and the novel features of my device are hereinafter clearly pointed out in the claims.

Reference being now had to the drawings, Figure 1, is an elevation of my improved firing valve taken on a central longitudinal sec tion; Fig. 2, a cross-section on the line m:r of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a cross-section on the line yy of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4, a View similar to that of Fig. 1 with the valve rod and movable valve removed.

A is the gun barrel, and B the valve casing, the barrel and easing being secured together in any convenient manner, as by a screw thread 0; and an annular projection A, extending into the chamber B of the valve casing and having a perforation or preferably a number of perforations, 01., arranged obliquely thereon as shown in the drawings. The valve casing is divided into two chambers 13 and B by means of the partition B the chambers being connected by the perforation I I, passing through the partition B and preferably having a valve seat 1' arranged in it as shown. The area of this perforation is variable and can be adjusted at will by means of the set screw J having a needle valve J on its lower end.

D is the valve rod and upon its interior end is screwed the valve F fitting into the annular projection A. Upon the same valve rod is secured the Valve G G fitting tightly in the valve chamber B; and a third valve, H, is secured on the rod D so as to move in and close the chamber B In the plan shown a link E is pivoted to the outer ende of the rod B and to the end 6 of the bent lever E, which said bent lever is pivoted at b to a projecting arm I) of the valve casing B. The levers E and E form a toggle joint, and a block b, is provided for the knuckle to rest upon. 12 is an opening into the valve chamber B adapted to be connected with the reservoirs of compressed air (not shown). The portion of the chambers B and B between the valves and the partition B is filled with a fluid, preferably oil.

The operation of my improved device is as B between the valve G G and the admission ports a being charged with compressed air, or connected with a reservoir for compressed air, the valves are held stationary by means of a stop of any convenient kind acting on the end of the valve rod D. As shown, the toggle 1evers E E serve as astop when their knuckle, c, rests on the block b. As soon as the stop is removed, as by throwing the knuckle a up by pulling on the end of the bent lever E, the pressure of the compressed air acting on the greater area of valve G G, causes the IOO one, then two, and so on, so that the compressed air is admitted to the gun barrel A in gradually increasing quantity. To prevent the ports a from being opened too rapidly, I have devised the combination of the valve G G and H with the perforated partition wall B It is of course evident that when the spaces between these valves and the partition Wall is filled with oil or other fluid, the oil must pass through the perforation in the partition to enable the valve G G to move backward and by means of the needle valve J, I am able to regulate the area of the perforation so as to offer any desired resistance to the passage of the oil through it and thus regulate the motion of the valve G G and of the valve F connected with it, with the utmost nicety.

The construction shown by which the valves G G and F are both secured upon the same valve rod, is one of great simplicity, but I do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to this special detail of construction except in those claims in which it is expressly made an element; and of course the oblique arrangement of the firing ports a, while of value in regulating the gradual ad mission of the air to the gun barrel, are not absolutely essential, the regulated motion of a valve over a firing port of any outline resulting in the same graduated admission of the air which is the chief point of advantage sought by my invention.

The combination'of the discharge valve F with the valve G G of greater area so as to virtually make up a differential valve is of prime importance as by it the movement of the discharge valve is effected by the compressed air itself and this feature of my invention may be used with advantage apart from the valve H. Of course the relative area of valves F and G G may be varied at will; for the purpose of illustration the difference is exaggeratedin the drawings. The special construction of the discharge orifices and the valve F is not in my broader claims a matter of importance so long as the valve F is of less area than the valve G G to which it is attached and which with it forms a differential valve which will open with the pressure of the fluid in the chamber B.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a valve chamber adapted to contain fluid under pressure and having a contracted passage at one end with discharge ports formed in it; a piston valve moving in said contracted passage to control the ports; and a valve of larger area than the end of the piston valve connected with it to form a differential valve, and closing the other end of said chamber all substantially as specified and so that the pressure of the fluid in the valve chamber will act to open the valve.

2. In combination with the valve chamber B adapted to contain fluid under pressure and having a discharge port at one end, the valve chamber B separated from chamber B by the perforated partition B, the valve F controlling the discharge port in chamber B, the valve G G of larger area than valve F situated in chamber B and connected with valve F so as to form a diiferential valve; the valve H situated in chamber B and connected with valve G G and an adjustlng valve arranged to controlthe passage through partition 13 all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In combination with the valve chamber B, adapted. to contain fluid under pressure, the annular projection A having adisoharge port or ports formed in it; the chamber 13 separated from chamber B by a perforated partition B the valve F moving in pro ection A, the valve G G of larger area than valve F moving in chamber B, the valve II moving in chamber B and the connecting rod D uniting said valve, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In combination with the valve chamber B, adapted to contain fluid under pressure, the annular projection A having one or more obliquely-set discharge ports a formed in it; the chamber B separated from chamber B by a perforated partition B the valve F moving in projection A, the valve G G of larger area than valve F moving in chamber B, the valve II moving in chamber B, and the connecting rod D uniting said valve, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In combination with the valve chamber B, adapted to contain fluid under pressure, the annular projection A having adischarge port or ports formed in it; the chamber B separated from chamber B by a perforated partition B the valve F moving in projection A, the valve G G of larger area than valve F moving in chamber B, the valve II moving in chamber B the regulating valve J arranged to control the orifice in partition B and the connecting rod D uniting said valve, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In combination with the valve chamber B, adapted to contain fluid under pressure, the annular projection A having a discharge port or ports formed in it, the chamber B separated from chamber B by a perforated partition 13 the valve F moving in projection A, the valve G G of larger area than valve F moving in chamber B, the valve I-I moving in chamber B the connecting rod D uniting said valves, and the toggle jointed levers E E secured to rod D and arranged to serve at a stop therefor, all substantially as as and for the purpose specified.

THOMAS J. \VINAN S.

\Vitnesses:

EDWARD K. CHURCH, A. M. SPERRY.

IIO 

